Literary Crack and other fine things

Let me begin by saying that yes, I am one of those Twilight people. I had been bombarded by the obsession from every outlet possible and then while shopping at SAMS, I saw the book and succumbed to the call to read. A couple of weeks later, I've read all four book in the Twilight Saga. It was all I could think about... Bella, Edward, Jacob, the Cullens, La Push, Forks. The list goes on. And now that I've finished the saga, I can't wait to go see the movie. Yes, I've been sucked into this world Stephenie Meyers has created!

My BFF Raney heard me talk about my obsession during my affair with the series. I finally handed over the books for her to read. On Sunday, I heard my phone ring and I said to Tim, "That's Raney calling to tell me she is addicted to Twilight!" The first words out of her mouth were, "What is this literary crack you've given me!?"

Apparently, Raney was so enthralled with the book that she sat in her car at the gym to continue reading it instead of taking her cycling class!

Thank GOD I am not alone!

In fact, I found a website: TwilightMoms.com

You see, the thing is that these are about teenagers (for the most part - especially the first book of the series... books three and four aren't as juvenile as the first). Henceforth, it is a series that is more popular among teen girls. But, the author is so gifted that not only are teens and young adults swooning over Edward and injecting themselves into the Twilight world, but moms and middle-aged women are becoming obsessive fans, too!

Madness, I tell you!

I rank Stephenie Meyer, the author, right up there with George Lucas in the ability to create such a submersible world, that each person who delves into the books, is immediately sucked into the belief that this could be real!

I can't wait to read the Twilight Saga again!

Next on my list is the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries - the books the HBO Original Series True Blood is based off of. From what I've heard, that series of books is pretty addictive too. But to be honest, I just can't believe that I could possibly be sucked in as deeply as I was with the Twilight Saga (no pun intended). Although, I can't wait to read them... hearing Bill's voice in my head saying "Sookie" with that sultry passion of his!

Mom was celebrated by astronauts today!

My awesome mother was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award today! She's been an employee at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center for 25+ years (give or take a year), and the Silver Snoopy Award is one of the most honored award at NASA!

Astronauts themselves choose the winner of the awards from a list of nominees. THEY chose my mom!

The Astronaut seen in the center of this poster, Scott Altman, awarded the Silver Snoopy to my mother, along with another astronaut from the same mission (I can't remember which one). Scott Altman also starred in the movie Top Gun!

The actual pin, a small silver Snoopy, was flown on a space craft. Isn't that just too cool?

I just had to brag on mom! Lord knows she wouldn't brag on herself.

WOO HOO MOM!!!!

I can't wait for Christmas [to be over with]

I suppose it comes with childhood - the excitement of Christmas. But of course, as I pointed out to Tim last week - the only real joy we find in the holidays is the smiles we see from our children. Otherwise, the holidays, Christmas in particular, is just a ball of nerves and stress. It doesn't help when TJ is running through the house (what's new) constantly pointing out the fact that Santa Claus is coming to town!

The next 24 days are going to be hell. Not because of shopping - I am almost done. Not because of baking - that will be easy. It will be hell because of the amount of stress I will be under, having to deal with the excitement and pure energy of a child that CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS!

Of course, what kid his age isn't excited? And even though it stresses me out (he has too much energy), I have to love every moment of it. It won't be long before he loses that magic - learning that Santa isn't who he thinks he is!

Big Day = Pure Exhaustion (Plus 5 month pics)

I feel like I haven't written a blog in... forever. When I have time, I am just exhausted. That is, "when" I have time and to be honest, I really don't have time. There's always something that needs to be done.

We chose Katie and Lauren's "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" for their 5 month pictures. My, how they have GROWN!

Both girls are using their hands. As you can see in the pic, Lauren is using her hands to discover her feet! Every day is a new adventure!

Katie is showing signs of rolling over from back to front. Hasn't done it on her own, but she is still getting really, really close to being able to do it. I don't know if I've already mentioned, but it has been about a month since Lauren rolled over (several times) from tummy to back, but she hasn't done it again. Hhhmp!

I could say that the girls are like night and day. Lauren is still quite the diva. She needs all the attention and demands it, too. Katie is a little thinker that is generally happy all the time (compared to Lauren who is either happy or demanding ... i.e., fussing) and loves to giggle at her brother's antics. Both girls are in love with the dogs and love to smile and grin at them. Bell indulges them and will sniff them, kiss (lick) them. Sabrina could care less. She's a lot like a cat in the way she is very independent and could care less about anyone but me or Tim.

TJ is doing REALLY well in Kindergarten. He is learning to read and write and is making lots of friends. He's also very well behaved and "stays on green" all the time. His teacher said that she wishes she had a class full of TJs. Another teacher at the school told Tim she was very impressed with TJ's ability to behave and follow directions. He sure does make me proud!

TJ, Katie and Lauren had their pictures taken at Portrait Innovations. This picture shows just how crazy and impossible it can be to get a good picture with all three kids smiling. Most of the pictures we got were some variation of this picture... that I actually love! But that didn't keep me from spending a very, very pretty penny in photos. Don't worry ... if you normally get Christmas cards from me, you will get some kind of picture! We promise! The lady at PI did a really good job, worked with me in what I wanted, and tried hard to get what I was looking for. I was very happy, as I've had good and not-so-good experiences there before. Click here if you are interested in seeing the 120+ picture from today's photo shoot.

After the photo shoot, we had about an hour to kill before we had a dental appt. for TJ and myself. TJ had yet to have one successful cleaning (due to anxiety), but he assured me he was ready to sit and have his teeth cleaned and inspected. HE DID SO WELL! He went in there, sat down, and took it ... well, I guess he took it like a man! A little man, but a man nonetheless! His teeth were clean as a whistle. I was very happy with the fact that he didn't have to have any scraping for his first cleaning. Lucky him! It made me VERY happy and VERY relieved because TJ is a candy hound and I am constantly on him to brush correctly. I guess it worked!

After getting everyone ready, running from Hazel Green to South Huntsville and back again, and dealing with changing clothes (and NOT getting spit-up on them) and then the dentist... well, need I express just how exhausted I am? I am sure you can image.

And with that, let's hope it isn't another "forever" before I post again. Off I go to attend to a fussy, tired little lady.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Oh my! YUMMY! I've been having this craving for Broccoli Cheese Soup lately (no, I am NOT pregnant - I was fixed!). So, I found this recipe and changed it just a little...

INGREDIENTS

• 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli
• 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 6 tablespoons margarine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 pounds processed cheese food (eg. Velveeta), cubed
• 1 pinch ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, simmer the broccoli in the broth for 15 minutes. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

2. Add the flour to the onions and stir well, forming a pasty substance. Gradually add the milk and stir until thick. Add this mixture to the broccoli mixture in the pot and stir well. Then add the cheese, stirring until melted. Finally, add the pepper. (Note: Be careful not to let the soup boil, or the cheese will break down.)


The changes I made:

• I dumped 4 cups of chicken broth into a sauce pan and then added frozen broccoli until it was at the same level as the broth - and then I kept it at a simmer until the broccoli was very tender, easily mushed down to smaller pieces
• I added a full stick of butter to a big pot, added my finely diced onion, then added 3/4 cup of flour. Slowly added the milk and then slowly added the broth/broccoli mix
• I ended up added 2 lbs (one big brick) of Velveeta and 1/2 pound of sharp cheddar
• I used table pepper instead of white pepper

The soup was super cheesy - but it made it SOOO yummy. Even TJ liked it! It I did it again, I would keep out the last 1/4 lb. of Velveeta, but that's it.

This really was a very very tasty soup. Probably the best Broccoli Cheese soup I've ever had. Next time I will try it with 2% Velveeta to lower the fat content. But I gave away all the soup so I wouldn't have any in the house today... because honestly, it was TOO good! :)

The original recipe can be found at AllRecipes.com.

So much to say and such little time to spare...

This past week has been full of great things! Last Friday (10/10), Tim and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary. TJ had a cold and since I didn't want mom to be exposed to it, we decided to brave a restaurant with all three kids. We got there before 5pm to beat the crowd and we were home before 7pm. Perfect timing, actually. The girls did fairly well - they actually ate their bottles, spit up only a little, and didn't fuss nearly as much as normal. Lauren gets CRANKY every night around 7pm (give or take an hour). So, I was nervous about her having a meltdown in public. We avoided one and that made the trip worth it!

I don't think I posted this, but a few weeks back - not too long after TJ lost his first tooth - the one next to it became pretty loose. I was at my mom's house one evening when I noticed it was gone! I asked TJ what happened and he said he lost it at lunch. If the story was correct, it probably got stuck in an apple and ended up on the trash. TJ was pretty disappointed about not getting to keep it for the tooth fairy. I told him that I had already sent a self-addressed stamped envelope to the tooth fairy so I could get your tooth back for my keepsake box and I was pretty bummed about not being able to keep it! Hey, at least I got his FIRST one!

Katie has become the master at blowing raspberries. She does it ALL DAY LONG, and especially likes to do it when the dogs are nearby. I've noticed Lauren watching her and she tries to do it herself just a little, but don't really seem to want to do it. You can view a video of Katie blowing raspberries here:
http://vupload.new.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1051616533009

Lauren also rolled over for the first time on 10/15. I actually had the camera out when it happened and this picture was taken right after she did it. That's a very proud little girl right there!

Another first we've gotten to experience this week is the first cold. YUCK! TJ got the crud the middle of last week, around the 7th or 8th and I was convinced he wasn't contagious because none of us had gotten when he was already on the mend. Then it hit both Lauren and me on the same day. Poor little girl is all stopped up, but no fever and no cough. We've had to use the saline nasal spray and a vaporizer. In fact, they have the vaporizer in their room and our bedroom and TJ's bedroom each have a humidifier. Since we had to turn the heat on tonight, I am sure our sinuses will be up for the challenge since our entire top floor of the house seems to be well humidified.

Even though we were not feeling too great, we went ahead at went to HAMOM's fall gathering at Lyon Family Farms in Taft, TN. TJ had a BLAST! I only wish we had been able to stay longer. The high today was 70, but it was super windy and the tables in the pavilion were shaded and it made for a painfully chilly time for those of us not running around (everyone other than TJ). I have to say that Lyon Family Farms was much more enjoyable than Tate Farms. Tate Farms, as my grandmother would have said, has gotten too big for their britches. Apparently not only do they charge you $8 per person to get in, but they also charge you a fee for their "rides" and admission to the petting zoo. Ridiculous if you ask me. Lyon Family Farms was only about a 10 mile drive from our house and easier on families in my opinion.

TJ got his first report card last week. He is doing extremely well and the teacher said that he is a "perfect" student. I am thrilled! What is even more thrilling is that he stays on green 100% of the time and prides himself in being good at school. Unlike me, who as a child was always sent home with report cards saying how I talked to much... "Rachael's desk has been placed next to mine" was a common addition to my report cards. Apparently I talked so much that I had to be removed from my peers on many, many different occasions. Guess what? I still talk to much!

In addition to being a great student, TJ is becoming a great little artist, too! Take exhibit A to the left. Here we see a fierce shark on the top and a happy little goldfish on the bottom. My awesome five-year-old son drew both of those! Yes, I am quite biased, but I have to say that for five years old, he has quite the eye for detail. In fact, when you think about it, there are some adults who couldn't draw this well. TJ covered all the basics - top fin, bottom fin, side fins, gills, and the goldfish is even smiling ("until you bite their heads off..." ha ha ha). Yes, I am quite proud of my son's ability!

I shall try my hardest to not wait so long between bloggings. Life has been so crazy lately (as usual) and time online is becoming harder and harder to find!

Being 5 is hard... being a mom to a 5 year old is even harder.

It's the age-old problem that every mom faces. Mom tells the child to clean up his/her room and/or mess. Child either refuses, stalls or finds every way imaginable to get out of the task. Mom persists, child resists.

It's the battle that gives me my grey hair, makes me lose my cool, and drives me absolutely insane every single time the battle ensues.

Right now TJ is sleeping quite peacefully in his room. He was sent there after I lost my battle with him cleaning up his art supplies from the table in the computer room. Actually, the mess was all over the table and the floor around his computer. It was a complete freaking disaster. I tried SO HARD to make the job simple.

"TJ, put the trash in the bag. Everything else goes in your art box."

That wasn't simple enough. Nope. To top it off, no threat was great enough to get him to actually follow through on this task.

The battle ended with me telling TJ that if he didn't go to his room, I was going to be hauled off to jail for child abuse. Yes. Honestly, I was that angry. Thank God I had enough sense to send him to his room... where he sleeps (and it is only 6pm).

I read these books and articles on how to deal with children like TJ. It doesn't help! The child isn't defiant, he isn't lazy... he just doesn't like to clean. That and he hates to be told what to do -which he comes by honestly. I've fought the battle every way I know how... and not one has been a successful strategy that's ended in a victory.

I tell TJ to do one thing - for example: "TJ, just put the trash in the trash bag." And his immediate response is joy because he then thinks that's ALL he has to do. No matter how many times I've told him that no, that is just step one - he knows how to negotiate and guilt trip and these might be great in battle for him, but not for me!

I've done the negotiating, the give-and-take, the calm talking, the loud talking, the threats, the spankings, the sending to his room and it never seems to sink in... I JUST WANT HIM TO CLEAN UP HIS MESS!

I have faith that what he lacks in follow-through he will make up with age further down the road, which will help him gain some patience and understanding... at least enough to CLEAN UP HIS MESS!

For now, I'm left with the mother-guilt for making it a bigger deal than it is... probably carving another scar that will make him crazy when he is older (or something of the like). It really bites to be a five year old, but I promise it bites even worse to be a mother to that 5 year old.

But I sure to love him... I love the peace and quiet of him asleep too... but I love him tons more!

And now Dateline on NBC... unless you are in the south

Football takes precedence over ANYTHING in the south. I promise you, it's Auburn or Alabama... and the evil outsiders are Tennessee fans. This is well known here in the Rocket City, the River City, the big cities, the little cities... you name it.

Even High School Football is of the most dire importance on Friday Night. So much so that our local NBC affiliate decided to preempt the Dateline NBC episode they've been promoting all night. Instead, they replaced with with an old Rodney Dangerfield movie from the early 80's. Why? I assume (and even assume I am assuming correctly) that Dateline was going to run two hours - all the way up to 10pm. Friday Night Fever begins at 9:45pm. God forbid we pause the Fever for 15 minutes while Dateline wraps up.

So, for those of you with no DVR, no TiVo, no decent VCR, you are screwed. They are airing Dateline at 3am. See the thing was, there was NOTHING else on that I wanted to watch. Dateline was it. I had my baby in one hand, a Corona in the other and was ready to watch the boob tube (yes, we still have a tube TV and I know that I just described a very red-necky situation - I don't care). Nope - instead I am subjected to real crap. Couldn't they have at least run something else? ANYTHING else??

So, instead of enjoying what I had planned on enjoying all week long (after all, they've been practically telling me I HAD to watch it after the hundred and six times they aired the commercial for it), I gave my dogs a flea bath. Yep. Exciting, huh?

STUPID WAFF 48! And the thing is, I don't watch CBS, ABC or Fox for news. I watch Robin Meade on CNN Headline News for all of 15-30 minutes in the morning, but otherwise it is 48 and then the Today show. After the crap the other day with the presidential motorcade and now this.... 48, you are on my shit list this week!

The VP on the Parkway doesn't make breaking news!

I recognize the fact that we don't get many presidential or vice-presidential visits here in the Tennessee Valley. And yes, it is interesting. However, is it REALLY necessary to cut into regular programming just to show a Secret Service vehicle parked downtown? Need we break from our regularly scheduled programming to show the motorcade driving through the county? Really? Is that not News at Noon, Five, Six and Ten worthy? If I am subjected to this for a ridiculous amount of time during the day, do I REALLY need a recap of it in the evening, too? No! Just keep it on the scheduled news programs and I am sure many of us will be happy.

A simple break to let us know the Veep has arrived and is traveling to Adams St. is good enough. For those who care about Dick[head] Cheney, they can step out and view it for themselves. I don't need to stare at the Parkway for 15 minutes waiting for the possible viewing of a motorcade.

It's just stupid. I would rather see Hoda and Kathy talk about strawberries. Yes, even Kathy Lee is more interesting than a presidential motorcade.

Dirty Mouth?

I love these... and have to share them because if you haven't seen them, you've really missed a new kind of commercial art!



Wife: You son of a biscuit-eating bulldog!
Husband: What the French toast?
Wife: Did you think I wouldn't find out about your little doo doo head cootie queen?
Mistress: Who are you calling a cootie queen? You lint-licker!
Wife: Pickle you kumquat!
Husband: You're overreacting.
Wife: No, Bill, overreacting was when I put your convertible into a wood chipper, Stinky McStinkface!
Mistress: You Hoboken.





Guy one: Well, hello Percy - feather plucking cheater!
Percy: Eat spatula and die, spittle stick! We're here fair and square!
Guy one: Then why is our fuddy-duddy cheer book missing, booger breath?
Percy: I don't know, why don't you check your donkey door?
Guy two: Oh, Why don't you check your donkey door?
Guy one: I'll pineapple slap your ascot!
Percy: Bring it on, dookie head - poo poo face!
Ref: Hey, you cankle bandits! Knock off the pumpernickel!

Three Months & Counting!

Katie and Lauren are 3 months old! I can't believe the first three (most hellish) months have flown by. OK, may not "flown" (there were plenty of sleepless nights that crawled along), but time sure does fly, doesn't it?

The girls are doing SO well! As you can see here, sporting the onesies Raney made for them, they are growing and growing! Katie feels like a sack of potatoes when you pick her up. She is quite a bit heavier than Lauren! We have a four month check up next week, so I am really looking forward to seeing some numbers!

Both girls are sleeping through the night and have been for quite a while. It's been pretty darn nice! They are both full of smiles and although they haven't quite mastered cooing just yet, they are on the verge of it. They are somewhere between the 2 and 3 month mark for developments, which is right on target for their "adjusted" age. Being born a month early sets everything back a month... and just about every preemie mom will tell you just how much this bites!

Last night Lauren was taking her bath and was actually having fun with it. She was kicking and moving her arms like a pro swimmer. It was super cute and fun to watch. For someone that normally voices her dislike for bath-time, it was nice to see her having fun!

As for TJ, he is doing SO well in school! Apparently there are quite a few kids in his class with behavioral problems and TJ manages to stay on green all the time. This makes me SO happy, because if we did green/yellow/red at home, he sure as heck wouldn't be green all the time! He just has SO much energy! He gets PE in the morning, so that probably helps him in school, too. He also gets recess in the afternoon, so that has helped ME a little.

TJ is also going through a growth spurt. He's been super hungry (sign #1) and sleepy (sign #2) and then last night, like clockwork, he woke up with leg pains (sign #3). I've actually been waiting for this because in about a week I will mark his height on the wall where we've been keeping track. I can't wait to see how much he's grown since May!

The Squirrel, a Tooth & the Fairy

On Thursday, I came home from dropping TJ off at school and was greeted by a baby squirrel trying to snuggle up next to the riding lawn mower's tire. At first I thought it was a rat or a baby possum, so naturally, I was quite startled.

I called my pet rescuing aunt Nancy and she said to try and feed it some sugar water. I picked it up (with protection), gave it a nice towel (nice for a squirrel, that is), and a box to call home until Nancy could take it. It fed a little off the medicine dropper with sugar water, but was more interested in nesting in the towel.

Nancy found a wildlife rescue to come and take the squirrel. They will "raise" it until it can be let go out into the wild. I was so sad about the baby squirrel and couldn't let the neighborhood's free-roaming dogs and/or cats come find it and kill it. I still have no idea how it got there, though! At least (for now), I know it is safe, warm and is being taken care of!

Also on Thursday, TJ lost his first tooth! I had been wanting to yank it out for a couple of days, but refrained from traumatizing my son. He was actually upstairs watching Indiana Jones (again) on our TV when he was playing with it with his tongue - and it came out on its own. The tooth next to it is a little loose too, so I guess the Tooth Fairy will be making many trips to the Towle house over the next decade or so (I am figuring in 5 years the girls will be losing their teeth, too!).

It is actually quite bittersweet for me. My baby started Kindergarten and just a few weeks later, he lost his first tooth. So many milestones in so little time!

And finally, I got a picture with BOTH girls smiling. Next goal - both smiling and actually looking AT the camera!

I uploaded some more pictures to the PhotoBucket account:
CLICK HERE

I took some pictures of the Hummingbirds that keep coming to our feeders. I looked and looked and I can't figure out what kind of Hummingbirds we have. They don't have red throats, so it can't be the Ruby Throated Hummingbird... and from what I can tell, not too many other ones (if any) life in this area. I took the pictures via digital zoom through a double-paned window what was dirty on the inside and outside - so the pics are the best quality. If you know what kind of Hummingbird it is, please post a comment and let me know!

Claustrophobic Feet

For as long as I can remember, my feet have been claustrophobic. When I was a little girl, I HATED wearing socks because it made my shoes fit that much tighter. Because of that, I had horribly stinky feet.

Now, of course, my feet look like hell. I've been wearing Birkenstock sandals, sans socks, for at least 5 years now, if not longer, and my heels have paid for it. Of course, I am sure if I had worn socks most of my life, my feet would be softer and certain free from these horrible dry, scratchy patches.

I'd still prefer sandals over socks and closed-toe shoes. Even clogs kind of bother me. I would mind some nice, simple Mary Janes, but that's because they are light on your feet and airy.

I digress.

Yesterday, I went to Shoe Carnival with mom. I need to start walking to get fit and I need the shoes to do it. My feet grew when I was pregnant with TJ, so I knew a plain old 11 (yes, I wear the biggest women's shoe in the store) wasn't going to cut it. I feared wearing a men's clunky running shoe.

I managed to find some 11 wides that actually fit. Of course, the first thing I want to do when I put them on is take them off, but at least they fit well enough for me to call them comfortable... despite the fact that my feet FREAK out. My toes start to curl and I feel like I have to rub them next to each other, over and over and over and over and over again. It's the only way I know to soothe the anxiety of my toes!

So, on Tuesday, I am going to attempt to put the girls in the stroller after I get home from taking TJ to school. I am then going to do some walking in my women's Nike walking shoes (I prefer New Balance, but couldn't find the color I wanted).

My toes are already freaking out thinking about the shoes....

Target Hell

Today I learned that when shopping at Target on University Dr., NEVER (and I repeat, NEVER) go through the check-out with the gigantic African-American guy. Please, don't do it. Don't even consider it. The dude is slower than Christmas. Wait, what is slower than Christmas? Because he is slower than THAT!

As I stood there, Lauren screaming, Katie the same, he is s-l-o-w-l-y ringing up my items o-n-e by o-n-e. Let me repeat, the girls are screaming. I'm trying to write a check, soothe them, put my groceries in the cart... typical mom multi-tasking... and he is taking his sweet, sweet time.

PLUS the women behind me were staring me down, as if I were some kind of freak show. "Hey, look at the woman try to handle two screaming babies at the same time" No, they didn't say it, but I could FEEL it in their stare. I wanted to just scream "HURRY THE HELL UP!" and "YOU! STOP STARING AT ME!"

Plus they've gotten new carts (the old ones are pieces of crap and there's always a buggy wheel), and the new carts are smaller, thus making it increasingly harder to shop with two babies in two car seats.

Grocery stores need to supply carts for MOMs (mothers of multiples). The only places that come close are SAMS and Costco. Don't these people CARE about how hard it is to shop with two young children - much less - TWINS?!

I got home just in time to feed the girls. I looked at the clock. 1pm. Hmmm... is 1pm too early to drink a beer???

At least they were nice and quiet (for the most part) for my wait in the car riders line at school.

Ahhhh..... the joys of motherhood.

In Loving Memory of Jessica Leigh Luna

We miss you so much, Jessica!

Fay, Fay, Go Away!

I guess it's officially a Tropical Depression now, but Fay is still causing problems! It's been raining non-stop since yesterday afternoon, and even though I know some farmers and locals are happy to have the rain... I am already over it.

The rain has found its way into our house. Tim seems to think the reason it is attacking our computer room closet is because it's an add-on to the main house and rain from the main roof is just pouring down and making its way in. Ugh. No fun and not a pretty sight. At least we caught it before it damaged too much in the closet.

I am also worried about the damn flooding. We live in a flood zone and pay well over $100 a month in flood insurance to FEMA, so if we have any flood damage, we will have no problems calling them and asking for every nickle and dime we can get.

I don't want flood damage! They anticipate a couple more days of rain. The front drainage ditch is filled already from one end of the street to the other. Our front walk is a small swimming hole. I just hope these HUGE trees around our house don't uproot and fall!!!

Fay, Fay, GO AWAY!

Sleep!!!! Plus new pictures...

First, an amazing milestone! Last night, the girls got a bottle at about 930pm and then they didn't wake up for another bottle until around 430am! YAY! Not even 11 weeks old yet! I am thrilled!

I did have a little freak out moment when Katie's Angel Care Monitor went off. She is a wiggle worm and she wiggles herself all over the bed. Last night she had wiggled her way up to the end of the bed, with her head pressed against the crib bumper. The monitor went off, I think, because she was too far off the sensor area. I moved her back and we both went back to sleep!

Tonight I doubt we will have that kind of luck again. Especially since our grumpy bear (Lauren) has been really fussy this evening. We'll see...

Here are our newest pictures:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/20080824/

Pictures (Memories) to Share

I've been thinking a lot about Papaw and Grandma lately. I've been so lucky to have two magnificent people like them in my life. They aren't alive anymore, but that doesn't matter. I still feel them around me. Especially Papaw. I've always had visits from him in my dreams since he passed. He never seemed to be a religious man (at least, I never saw him praying, reading a bible, or talking about God), but his presence after life has been very obvious to me.

The day after Papaw died, we had his funeral (because he did not want to be embalmed). During and after the service were many signs that he was still around, watching over us. Someone was talking badly about their brother, and a HUGE branch fell down off a tree about 20 feet from where we were standing outside. Then a few days later, more "talk" was happening inside the house and a lamp started flickering off and on quite rapidly. I've had countless dreams where he comes to talk to me. Real talk. It's real - it isn't a dream (only those who believe in after life communication can understand this phenomenon).

I also remember October 31, 2007. I was sitting in the exam room at my OB/GYN's office and I felt the presence of my grandparents and Jessica. As if I had their support. Tim and I had been trying to conceive for a while and this was our first round of medical help (a drug similar to Clomid) and I was convinced I wasn't pregnant. I was depressed and feeling really down, but suddenly I felt them in the room with me. I then found out that I was indeed pregnant! And shortly afterwards, as I was driving away, I heard my grandmother's voice tell me I would have a beautiful baby girl. Of course, now I think maybe she just forgot to add the plural of "girl" to that sentence.

I also have these two pictures:

This was taken in March, 1981. Me and my grandma! I was about 4 1/2 at the time. My grandmother had the greenest thumb and she treasured her plants. These plants next to us were probably ones that she had been keeping inside during the winter, hanging up in the indoor patio they had. It had a HUGE glass window that allowed plenty of sun to come through during the winter time.

My grandmother taught me lots of wonderful things, and she continued to teach me until her mind began to be robbed by Alzheimer's. I'd say I was around 15 (give or take a year or two) when he mind started to go. It was slow at first, but then it seemed to happen so quickly.

My Papaw was everything I could have asked for in a dad, too. My biological father wasn't in my life, and my Papaw proudly took the role (for what he could). He often called me his 7th child (my grandparents had six children). For a retired colonel, he was the biggest softie to me. He was always sweet, caring, huggable, and always smelled like Old Spice. In fact, just about every Father's Day, I would buy him a new bottle of the aftershave. He was such an amazing man. God, I miss him.

I was there when he was taken off life support. I had woken up that day somehow knowing that was the day he was going to die. He had been in a drug induced coma for a few days and they were not able to take him out of the coma. Papaw had more than a decade of serious health issues, but he always keep ticking. We thought we had lost in in the late 80's when a major artery to his heart suffered damage from an aneurysm. He survived because it was Christmas day and the ambulance was able to get to him so quickly. After that, he suffered from many other issues that he survived like the soldier he was. But that horrible day, taking him off life support, was an awfully traumatic experience for me. I will never forget that wet, raspy, monsterous cough of his as he tried to breathe in air, as his lungs slowly filled with fluid and he let go. It was that reason alone as to why I couldn't be there when my grandmother was dying. I was so haunted by the sounds of his death that I couldn't possibly allow myself to have the visions of my dying grandmother in my mind. I wanted to remember her as the beautiful, vibrant woman she was before she was robbed of her mind.

What sad thoughts to share. But there were so many happy thoughts, too. Like Sunday trips to Fayetteville with my grandma to get the Tennessean Sunday Newspaper. We'd stop at McDonalds. I'd get a Big Big Breakfast and she would read the paper while I ate. We'd drive back home, and during spring time, we would stop and pick daffodils. Occasionally, she would make a BLT for lunch, split it with me, pour herself a glass of beer and then pour a little into a tiny glass for me (one of those Pimento Cheese glasses). Yep, my grandmother gave me beer. :) I never remember being affected by it. But that's probably why I love it so much now!

I will never forget my Papaw standing in the kitchen with a frying pan, flipped over, and him pretending it was a banjo. He made banjo noises while be danced for me. I doubt anyone else got to see this stern ex-colonel goof around like that very often. I always felt like that was a special thing he would do for me!

And then there were the cars! My Papaw bought my grandmother a Mercury Cougar, and she loved it. We actually wrecked on an icy bridge coming home from Fayetteville one time. That's the time I realized my grandmother and I both shared some E.S.P. abilities, because we both knew we were going to wreck moments before it happened. I remember their red Volkswagen Beetle. My mom had a blue Super Beetle (it had a dash board!). I also remember the Cadillacs. I think he had two or three (total - not at once). They always had butterscotch candies in the ash tray.

My papaw loved taking pictures of my grandmother. I remember him getting several different 35mm cameras. He'd take pictures of her. Sometimes her with her flowers. She'd always take pictures of the house and the flowers.

It's amazing how many wonderful happy memories I have of them. I only wish TJ had gotten to know them. But I know they look after him.

They say life isn't always fair...

... but did they say it was unfair? Today it seems so.

Recently, a couple of my family members suffered a horrible loss. There aren't enough words for me to describe how full of sorrow I am for them. It deeply hurts my heart.

It is times like this that we have to be so thankful for what blessings we have. In the past 6 years I've lost many family members (at least, "many" in my book) and there's never enough words to describe the pain. We've all suffered loss and we all know how different kinds of loss feels like. But it never makes the next loss any less painful.

What's strange is that last night my mother gave me some pictures that my aunt Nancy found. They were pictures of me with my Papaw and others with my Grandma (on the Madden side). Some of the photos I had never seen before. There was also a few pictures of me with Jessica when she was a baby, one when she was a toddler, and another when she was school age. I loved seeing all the pictures, but it was bittersweet. I wanted to cry when I saw the photos, because I miss them all SO much that it hurts.

Life is so unfair and cruel sometimes. Today I am thankful for all of my blessings, and am full of sorrow for all the loss.

Sending love to my family (you know who you are) and I want you to know you are in my thoughts and if there is anything I can do from here, please, please let me know. We love you!

Check-Ups

TJ and the girls each had a check-up on Wednesday. TJ's 5-year and the girls' 2 month appointments.

TJ is in the 96th percentile for height and 97th for weight - which means he weighs exactly what he should for his height. Dr. S said that because TJ is about the size of the average 6 to 6 1/2 year old, I shouldn't be alarmed by his loose tooth. That's right... TJ has his first loose tooth (his bottom right. Starting Kindergarten and the first loose tooth all in one week? Let's just say that it's too much for me. I've been more devastated with the prospect of him losing his tooth than I was with him starting school.

I imagine this old man, chiseling away at my son, chipping away his youth. Chip one, starting Kindergarten. Chip two, the loss of his first tooth. It never stops, it never slows down, and I don't think it ever gets easier.

As for the girls - Lauren has now been surpassed by her sister in weight. Katie is an "average" 11 lbs (even) and Lauren is an even 10 lbs. They are in the teens percentile for height, but I seriously doubt these girls are always going to be that way. I am pretty certain that has everything to do with being preemies.

Note to self- must call and make appt. for their four month appointments.

Tim and I have been enjoying the Olympics this week. He and I both LOVE gymnastics and swimming. As we've witnessed Michael Phelps win his 7th gold metal this evening, an unprecedented, historic event, I gaze upon his mother and wonder what it must be like to be her. You see, that's the difference between being a young person and a true adult. You make the identifiable feeling switch to the parent from the child. Instead of wondering what it is like to be Phelps, I wonder what it is like to be his mother.

Twinkles in my eyes are probably quite visible from the other side of a stadium. I dream about what TJ might grow up to be - and what kind of athlete he is to become. I don't do this yet for the girls because they are so tiny still. But with TJ, I see his proclivity towards sports and his desire to play them, and I wonder if I am looking at a future Olympian. Chances are slim (there just aren't THAT many Olympians in the general public), but that doesn't mean I can't dream or push him to have a dream too.

It was very surreal tonight to see history in the making. What an amazing Olympian Michael Phelps truly is. What a great role model. And I'd give anything to sit down with his mother for twenty minutes!

On another note... I went to WalMart this morning after dropping TJ off at school. It was nice! The girls were sleeping well (rare for being in the car seats) and although I DO miss TJ, it was a very quiet and non-chatty shopping event... sans the freaks that chase me down to converse about the twins! Lord help me, because one day it is going to be the worst possible time and I might just lose my cool with a nose blue-hair. Raney told me once about being chased down by a blue-hair who wanted to look at her twin girls. It happened to me today. Her hair wasn't blue - but it certainly was BLACK!


BH (Blue Hair) -- "Oh! I have to see your babies! Are they twins? Wait right there, I have GOT to see them!"

I slowed down for her to take a look as I didn't want to be overly rude.

BH -- "Did you know you were having twins?"

Me -- "Uh, Yes."

BH -- "How far along were you when you found out?"

Me -- "About five weeks" (I think!) I then started moving away from her more and more slowly.

BH -- "Now, identical twins are in the same sac, right?"

Me -- "Yes, they can be. My girls are fraternal"

BH -- "Two sacs"

At this point I was very, very annoyed. I started walking further and further away from her...

BH -- "What are their names?"

Me -- "Katherine and Lauren"

BH -- (mouthing the worlds as if she were on a stage from Broadway) "Kath-er-ine and Laurrrrr-en"

I kept walking away

Me -- "Yes, we are truly blessed!"

At that point she may have finally gotten what I was trying to drive home... LEAVE ME ALONE!

I also had another person ask me to stay put so her daughter could come and look at the girls. WTF!? Do you want me asking you to stay put? How about you put yourself in MY shoes and get a grip on reality... you shouldn't ask strangers of any kind, in any store, to "wait right there" so that people could look (stare) and your children!

Well, I am off to put the girls to bed after their post-bottle 30 minute wait. Good thing too - my eyes are closing as I type this!

It's Oh So Quiet

It is almost painfully quiet in the Towle House at this moment. TJ is at school, the girls are sleeping, and even the dogs are snoozing away. I can't believe how quiet it is. I don't think I've ever heard this kind of silence before!

TJ's first day of Kindergarten was Friday, 08-08-08. What a day it was! I was out running errands all day and TJ was enjoying his phase-in day at school. He got to arrive a little later than normal and I was actually able to walk him to class. It was all very surreal for me.

When we were standing in the school corridor, waiting to walk back to the classroom (with the other phase-in kids from that day), TJ rubbed my arm and told me "I will always be with you, mommy." I think he knew I was a little sad about seeing him go. What a sweet, darling, caring, loving child!

We got into his class and he found a CUTE little gift bag from the teacher. What a great idea! It made the kids feel a lot better about this "first." I gave my son a kiss and he turned his head a bit and wiped my kiss off his lips!!! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Already he doesn't want his mommy kissing him in public? My heart was broken!

When I picked him up from school, one of the first things he told me was that he had the routine Friday lunch of Pizza, but they gave him chocolate milk. His response? "Yuck! I wanted white milk!" Yes, my son does NOT like chocolate milk.

They also have a rest period (a.k.a. nap time) and he was actually able to lay there and rest. He said the teacher played nice music and that it made it easy for him to close his eyes. TJ hasn't had routine nap time for close to two years now. I was a little worried he wouldn't be able to rest - but apparently he can and he DID!

Today he actually has a full class of students to be a part of. I can't wait to hear about it all. I miss my little buddy! After I dropped him off at school today, I went and dropped something off at the Post Office. When I pulled up to the box, I can honestly say that my ears hurt a little because they weren't hearing TJ making some sort of comment about something or another. Mr. Talks-a-lot wasn't there and every ounce of my being missing that. I think Kindergarten is going to take more getting used to for me than my resilient little monkey.

Over the weekend, we had lots of floor time with the girls. They really enjoy laying out and looking at each other and the toys I lay down for them (a baby activity mirror and a few colorful rattles). Lauren was in her typical grumpy state and I was holding her while Katherine enjoyed some time down on the floor by herself. I got this adorable picture of her looking at me with a tiny grin. I love it!

Actually, Katie was grins all weekend long. It's such a wonderful feeling - seeing your little blessing looking up at you and grinning. They are so small and so innocent. They don't know a whole lot, but you know they know love. You know they know you love them because they smile at you. And you know they love you too. They may not be able to say the word or even understand what it is, but that innate feeling to love the one who cares for you is there. It's such a miracle to see it happen, especially when you know how easily life can be taken away from you. This perfect little being that grew in my belly loves me. I am so blessed because so many things could have gone wrong (and albeit, could still go wrong), but I have this wonderful little ray of sunshine smiling at me! Oh, I can't wait for Lauren to do the same! I know it is just a matter of days now!

Along with smiles this weekend, we had some tears too. Not just Lauren's colic (yes, she fusses SO MUCH when she is awake), but TJ got stung by a wasp this weekend - while IN the house, sitting at his computer! I am really pissed because I don't think my pest control person is doing his job... but I won't get into that. I panicked because just a few months ago, Tim was stung on his hand and a few days later his entire hand was swollen. He ended up going to the doctor because of it. I've never been stung (knock on wood), so I didn't know if TJ would have a major reaction or not. Very scary for me! So, I Googled what to expect & what to do, and ended up giving TJ some Benadryl and Ibuprofen. We also put Benzocaine on the sting. Everything was okay a few hours later and even today it was fine. I am just really surprised he didn't have a major reaction. He gets really, really red when a mosquito bites him - the bites get to be hard knots that are usually about the size of a quarter, and RED! So, needless to say, I am surprised he did so well.

Tim also celebrated his birthday this weekend! He's officially closing in on 40, as he turned 38 on the 10th. We were pretty low-key in our celebration. We made dinner at home and had a Publix German Chocolate Cake for dessert. TJ gave his dad a couple of t-shirts with funny sayings on them (although TJ doesn't understand the humor). I gave him some slacks, which he needed. My mother always spoils Tim, treating her as if he were her own, and gave him a very generous gift card.

Mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I always have such a hard time answering that question. I rarely purchase things for myself, and when I CAN do it, I just don't know what I want. So, I told her to get me a gift card to Michael's or something like that. I always want something from there (it's that crafty soul I have), but I will probably end up using it to purchase a frame or something like that. I may be crafty, but I am super practical and have a hard time being frivolous. In fact, it pains me to be frivolous. It just isn't in my nature.

Well, I've spend enough time blogging for one day. Off I go to hang and tag some clothes for the HAMOM MOM's Mart next weekend. This is one thing I NEED to do when TJ isn't around or it will never be done! Until next time.... May the Force be with You!

Funnies, Pictures and Firsts

There's so much I want to blog about tonight, but I am just too tired. I am waiting on the 30 minute mark post-feeding with Katie so she can go join her sister in their room for bedtime... when momma needs to lay down and SLEEP!

We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow - our first day of Kindergarten. I will be able to walk him to his class tomorrow so I will be sure to take a picture, too. Even cooler - TJ will be taking this new journey on a pretty cool date - 08-08-08 - plus it is the first day of the summer Olympics! Great day to remember.

I've uploaded some good and some funny pics to our photobucket account:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/20080807/

There aren't many there, but here are a couple of highlights....


I tried desperately to get a pic of all three kids but it just wasn't happening. Lauren and Katie were both fussy, and TJ was really tired of hearing it. I don't blame him, I was pretty tired of hearing the fussing, too!


They say pictures are worth a thousand words. This next one... well, who knows. I swear to you that TJ actually enjoys me pinching his nose with my toes. I don't know why and I really don't encourage it. However, this is what transpired and since I had the camera close... click! The other day he kept asking me to squeeze harder and harder, and I did. I squeezed as hard as I possibly could. Later, I noticed a red mark on his nose. Yep, from my squeezing! Hey, he literally asked for it. What can I say?


And finally, I got a picture of the girls together and actually had success. If you look at my photobucket pics, you will see a really good one of the two of them looking at the camera. In this photo (also on the PB album), it looks like Lauren is licking Katie's arm. She spent a lot of the time trying to nurse her shoulder or mouth her outfit. Too cute. I also noticed how great the sheet was for a background in this picture! The flowers match the flowers in the heart design of the dress. Thanks Raney!

Recipe: Baked Ziti

Here's another dish donated to us by Raney (via the HAMOM group AND her own kindness). We actually froze what was left over and heated it up in the microwave for lunches afterwards. It was so yummy and actually tasted even better after it was frozen! Thanks Raney! It was DELICIOUS!

Baked Ziti

1 lb ground beef
1/2 of an onion, finely chopped
1 lb ziti or penne pasta, cooked al dente
2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I use the Bertoli tomato and basil)
1.5 cups sour cream
6 slices provolone cheese
1 - 2 cups mozzarella cheese - however cheesy you like it
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large skillet and a casserole dish with
Pam. Saute onion over medium heat in skillet for a few minutes until it
is soft, then add ground beef and brown, chopping beef into little
pieces as it cooks. When beef is brown, add spaghetti sauce. Cook for a
few minutes until it comes to a simmer. Then add to pasta (in the large
pot you cooked it in) and mix well. Layer half of the pasta mixture in
the casserole dish. Top with provolone cheese and then spread the sour
cream over the cheese in an even layer. Layer the remaining pasta
mixture and top with mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes.

Recipe: Northern Italian Pasta Shell Stuffing

After I had the twins, members from the HAMOM group brought food to us. This was the first dish brought to us and I LOVED IT! I emailed the MOM and got the recipe and just HAD to share it with you all!

Northern Italian Pasta Shell Stuffing

3 packages frozen, chopped spinach
3 pounds ground round
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 large onions, chopped
Grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper
2 jumbo eggs
1 (1-pound) package jumbo pasta shells
2 cups tomato sauce (your own or ready-made)


Place frozen spinach in a strainer and run under hot water until thawed.
Squeeze all of the water out and place in a large bowl. In a large
saute pan, cook the ground round until browned. Drain meat, reserving 2
tablespoons fatin the pan, and place meat in the same bowl with the
spinach. Stir in the cream cheese until blended with the meat and
spinach. Saute the chopped onions in the reserved meat fat until
transparent. Transfer onions to the bowl with the other ingredients and
stir to combine. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper, to taste, and
combine. Let mixture cool and then add the eggs. The filling can be
made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta shells in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain and
cool to the touch. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture. Place
shells in a large baking pan and cover with tomato sauce. Cover with
foil and bake for approximately 1 hour. Serves 6-8.

Corona... take me away

As I sit here, approaching 2am, I find my only bit of sanity can be found in a bottle of Corona (don't forget the limes). Seriously... I've resorted to drinking. Lauren has screamed for an hour straight. The child is so different from my other children. I was bound to have a baby that wasn't easily soothed, that cries a lot, and sucks all hope of sleep right from the palm of my hand. Ahhh, the life of motherhood. My nerves are shot and since I needed something to take me away from the screaming, I've decided to open a nice, ice cold beer.

Amusingly, while Lauren screamed for an hour in her bedroom, between me laying her in her bed, picking her up, walking her, sitting with her, patting her (you name it), Katie was sleeping like a champ. Lauren screamed, Katie slept. TJ slept in the next room, too. Tim slept in our room across the hall. Everyone was sleeping except me and Lauren. Even the dogs were snoring. Heck, if I was any less of a mom, I could have slept through it too... and I only say "less of a mom" because I really DID feel like walking away and sleeping. I could have. I could have easily just sat down and fallen asleep.

Lucky Tim will be getting his butt up at 3am so I can get some sleep before he goes to work. I hate having to wake him up so early, but that's our deal. He will get up as early as 3am to watch the girls so I can sleep. Yesterday he got up after 4am, and the day before was after 5am. Not so lucky today, though.

And then lucky me, I will get about 2.5 hours of sleep before I have to deal with them all day. Ahhh, the joys of motherhood.

I don't want to wish their life away, but I can't wait until they sleep at night, consistently, at the same time. I just can't wait!!!!

I kept telling myself not to bring Lauren downstairs. I didn't want her to have to go to sleep in a bouncy seat or the swing. Now I have to wake her up and keep her up because she is sleeping in the swing, and I will be damned if she doesn't go to sleep after her next bottle in less than an hour!

SERENITY NOW!

Milestones Galore

The week is full of milestones!

The girls have been smiling and "laughing" since they were born... except it was all in their sleep. However, over the past few days we've seen more smiles and tonight Tim even got a small chuckle out of Katie. I can't wait until we get these on a regular basis!

One of the hardest things for me, being a mom to preemies, is the WAIT. We all have to wait until that first smile, first laugh, first tooth, etc. The first year is loaded with first after first... but we pretty much have a wait a month longer for each of those firsts. The girls are 8 weeks old now, but that equates to one month olds. So, they pretty much are still sleeping, eating, pooping ALL the time.

They do have great muscle tone for their ages and can hold their heads really well. They are getting a lot of tummy time, too - so we ARE going to avoid any and all chances for positional plagiocephaly, which is what TJ had (flat head). Tummy time WILL help that.

The BIGGEST milestone for the Towle Family this week is the beginning of Kindergarten! TJ met his teacher today and starts on Friday with a phase-in day. Only 1/3 of his class will be there, as the other 2/3 will split Wednesday and Thursday of this week. He told me he met a new kid and that is a new friend, which made me feel good. TJ is out there ready to make new friends without any reservations. Not all kids are like this (I don't know if I was), and it makes me feel good that he is confident enough to call a new kid his friend. Way to go, TJ!

OMG! I can't believe what I am seeing!

Mimi is coming home!

Just a quick note to say that Ruth is on her way to get mom from Vanderbilt! I will post more as I have the info!

Kidney is a match and mom is good!

We left home at 4am on Tuesday, July 29 and arrived at Vanderbilt University Hospital at 6am. We checked into the ER and immediately went back into a room. They drew blood and at that point we had to make sure the cross-match was good. We got news around lunch time that all was good to go for a 230pm surgery time. At 530 I found out all went well and I was able to see her in the recovery room around 8pm. They had no clue when they would be able to get her a room, so I went ahead and drove home from Nashville around 830pm.

The kidney is functioning and everything looks good! I talked to mom several times today and the doctors are happy with the results. Of course, she will have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of her life and there's always the chance that it just won't stick around for long. We just have to pray for the best outcome.

We hope to see her home this weekend!!!!

While I was in the surgery waiting area, I was sitting a little too far away from the monitors with patient updates, so I looked around and tried to find the best spot with the most tolerable people. I found a spot that was next to a group of a couple of adults with a couple of teen girls. I figured that was my best option because there were... well, quite a variety of strange and obnoxious people there. Anyway... I decided to sit near them. I was there for just a couple of minutes when I realized, from their dialogue that they were waiting on a patient who was also getting a transplant. It turns out, Debra A (the patient) was getting a kidney and a pancreas. From what we could piece together, it is very likely she was getting her organs from the same donor as my mother's!

All my mother was told about the donor was that it was a 25 year old brain dead male from Memphis. My aunt seems to think (from looking at the news from that area) that she knows who the donor was.

Back to the other ladies at the hospital... they were a blessing to me. They were very conversational, which made it a lot easier for me to sit there in the waiting room. Debra's daughter was an older teen, still in school, and I left my email address with her so I can get an update after she goes home. Again, they were so kind to me. They watched my stuff while I went to use the bathroom and use the vending machines. It was wonderful. They also offered me food and like I said, were just a blessing to have there.

So, this long wait is over for now. I just pray that the kidney remains functioning for a very, very long time and that the worries of if/when/where a kidney would come, and the stresses of dialysis are finally over with for good!

Keep mom in your thoughts and prayers!

We have a Kidney!

Mom got the call from Vanderbilt tonight. They have a kidney from a 25 year old male from Memphis. They were performing the extraction operation on the man this evening at 9:30 p.m. and as long as the kidney is viable, we will be going to Vandy in the morning. Once we get there at 6 a.m., they will have to do another compatibility test, which is standard. If all goes well, she will be in surgery tomorrow afternoon!

Tim will be at home with the girls while I am in Nashville. I will be coming home after mom is out of recovery, hopefully tomorrow evening. She will be there for a few days as long as all goes well.

Please pray that all goes well. This has been a long time coming and I really hope we don't get there and find disappointment or worse. Hopefully I will be able to post an update in a couple of days!!!!

Tired... Television... and other junk

I'm so tired it hurts. Literally. I catch up on sleep (or come really close to it) on the weekends, but then the week rolls around and I am already exhausted by Monday morning.

Last night the girls went to bed (upstairs) early enough for Tim and me to work on stuff that needed attention. It was great. I knew the girls would need a bottle around 11:30pm, so I stayed downstairs. So, both girls get fed, but it took forever for me to take Lauren back upstairs after she ate because she was really restless and took some time after her bottle to settle down. I was in the bed for all of ten minutes when she started fussing again, and then Katie started. Both ended up back downstairs with a bottle. I got them back upstairs after a LOT of spitting up, fussing and crying. I actually slept, but only for an hour (75 minutes at best). So, since about 1pm Sunday, I've had a full HOUR of sleep. It is now 10am on Monday. So yeah, I hurt. My legs hurt, my muscles, my joints, my neck, my head, my eyes, my knees. Okay, I hurt from head to toe. Can't wait for Tim to come home and let me sleep for a while!

On to TV. I saw the most despicable crap on television the other night on Comedy Central. First, the Gong Show (current - not a rerun of the old ones). A woman came on stage with a name I'd rather not have on my blog -- but let's just say her "talent" was the ability to make noises with parts of her body normally associated with intimate relations. She basically bent over and put a microphone to her nether-region and made very crude and disgusting noises. I could NOT believe what I was seeing! I would have to say that takes the cake in the most disgusting crap I've ever seen on reality television...

Side note --- it wasn't me that turned it to that show!

Then, after the Gong Show, it was another reality show - Reality Bites Back. This was also a totally despicable show. From what I saw, there really was no point to the show other than crap to air for shock value.

Have I gotten that old? So old that I am disgusted with today's antics on television and movies? I mention movies because I watched Superbad and Knocked Up over the past week or so and the language used was worse than the crap we were saying in high school. Granted, that was 14 years ago, but has it really changed that much? Really? I mean, I had a real potty mouth before my kids were born. I was amused by things that don't really amuse me now. I enjoyed talking about things that would make me blush now... and I CAN accept the fact that those kinds of things come with age. But between the crap on TV and the language - I am shocked! Am I becoming hardened and prude? I sure hope not.

A Towle Family Update

School starts in less than two weeks! That's right, TJ will be heading off to Kindergarten on August 6th. I am SO happy because he's gotten so bored at home. I am also sad to see my baby go off to school! What a huge change this year! He's gone from being my only child to having twin sisters and now going off to school. He's taking it all very well, though and I am SO proud of him!

The girls are doing well, too. The reflux is still bothersome, as we have a projectile spit-up about once every other day (usually more). However, the medicine seems to be working as the acid doesn't seem to bug them like it did before.

As always, the kids are growing like weeds. TJ seems to get bigger every time I look at him, and I KNOW the girls are getting bigger and bigger. In fact, I think Katie has outgrown Lauren by a long-shot. Just looking at her, I can tell she is bigger.

Just look at this picture of Katie! She barely looks like that tiny little 5 pounder from 7 weeks ago! I can't believe how big she's gotten in such a short amount of time!

Because they were premature, we have to wait longer for milestones to come our way. For example, smiles, coos and even eye contact come about a month after they normally would with full term babies. That's the part that really bites! For a parent, it feels like forever! Plus, we have to wait that much longer before they start sleeping in longer stretches at night, too.

As for our night time, sleep hasn't really come any easier for me, although we finally found a way for them to sleep in their cribs without much spit-up at all. First we did the inclined sleep positioner... the Babies R Us brand. It sucks, royally. Basically, it is a sleep positioner that has an incline to it. No matter what I did, they either scootched down or worked their way up, ended with their head back on off the positioner. They were still spitting up on them, too. Then I tried letting them sleep in the Boppy pillows in their bed (as seen in many of their pics, including the one above). It worked for one night, maybe two. Then Lauren's Angel Care Monitor kept going off because it couldn't detect her breathing while we used the pillow. So then it was back to them sleeping in the Boppy Bouncy Seats. This was miserable for me because I was spending my nights downstairs in the living room, sleeping on a sofa that was becoming over-used and less supportive. Plus they were still sleeping very restlessly and I couldn't sleep even if I tried!

Then I noticed how the girls slept best on their tummy. So, I did my homework and found that despite the "Back to Sleep" campaign to help prevent SIDS, it was common for reflux babies to sleep better (and more soundly) on their tummy. Thank God (and Raney, who is letting us use them), we have Angel Care monitors. The monitors are sensitive enough to tell if a baby is breathing while laying on a mattress. The sensor is under the mattress. We've been using these for about 5 to 7 nights now and WOW, what a difference! The girls actually sleep at night without excessive grunting, without spitting up like mad, and more soundly. Although I do believe sleeping on their back is the best position for the prevention of SIDS, I know the girls are getting better rest at night on their tummy. So, each night I put my faith in those monitors to work like they are supposed to! Even after testing them, I am still paranoid --- but certainly not as much as I was with TJ when he was a baby!

Here's a cute pic of Lauren in her attempts to coo. She is trying very hard to "talk" to us and it's just a matter of time before she starts cooing up a storm.

Considering how much she looks like TJ as a baby, and how feisty she seems to be compared to her siblings, I have a feeling she will be a big talker once she figures out how to make noise.

Katie is much more quiet and observes more than she participates. She and Lauren are very different, both in looks, disposition and personality. For example, Lauren fusses about everything. She seems to have a bit of colic and gets frustrated really easily when it comes to having a diaper change or even when she is trying to coo and doesn't succeed. Katie doesn't fuss as much. In fact, Katie only fusses when she is hungry and occasionally when she has a bath.

Both of the girls are doing really well with learning to hold their head up. Lauren is very determined to learn new things (cooing, holding her head up) and I can't wait to get some pictures of her doing it. Right now she only does it when she is laying on our shoulder/chest. Katie is also testing this skill and will be doing it in no time!

And as many of you know, I am not the kind of mom that subscribes to the belief that "wearing" your child is best. This form of attachment parenting isn't really my cup of tea. In fact, I am really quite the opposite of attachment parenting (Dr. Sears would be devastated!). I believe children need their own space, their own beds, their own time and shouldn't be raised to depend SO much on their parents. I think co-sleeping is a huge parenting blunder, but hey - I won't judge you for it. But as a mom of twins, I face some really different parenting issues. For example, when one of the girls cry, I can't always run and pick her up. Sometimes I have to let one of them (or sometimes both) lay and cry for a while when getting bottles ready, etc. It sucks and I hate it. And then between 14 diaper changes a day (at least) and 14 bottles a day, I have little to no time to do things like blog (which is why this took me three days to finally type and post), clean, shower or even eat sometimes. And occasionally I have a baby that needs to be held when I have other things to do... that I need to do. So, I bartered with Kyna Woollery of Micah & Co. for a sling (she got advertising on my websites in exchange).

Again, I am not a baby wearer, but I won't deny a child her time to be held. Especially since my time is split between two babies. I sometimes feel like I don't have enough time to be with each child. So this allows me to be with one child (and sometimes with one and carrying the other) when I have things I have to do (like type... as I have Katie in a sling right now, sleeping since she was unhappy in her bouncy seat). I really like to sling. I am still getting used to it, and learning how to wear it correctly, but for the most part, it has been an excellent product! And even though I am not a baby wearing, I do enjoy wearing them on occasion!

I also have some new Photobucket pictures to share... not too many, though. There's the two included above and then just a couple more:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/20080727kids/

And there's an event some of you might be interested in. My HAMOM group (Huntsville Area Mothers of Multiples) is having a sale for children's clothing, accessories and products. Here's some info about it:


Presented by Huntsville Area Mothers’ of Multiples

A Second Time Around Sale!

Clothes for Infants, Toddlers & above
Singletons or Multiples

Toys, Baby Furniture, Equipment & Accessories

Maternity Wear

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 5:30PM-9PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 8AM-12PM

YOUNG NAK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
WHITESBURG DRIVE, SOUTH

Portions of fundraiser to benefit COTA & Melissa George Foundation

PLEASE share this with mothers in and around the Huntsville area! I plan on selling a good bit of TJ's fall/winter wardrobe from the past 5 years! I have TONS of stuff from his infancy and through his third year!

"It's Genius - NOT Penis!"

Earlier in the week, TJ said "Patrick, your penis is showing!" and swears that SpongeBob says this on TV. Yes, we've been having a debate about it. I keep telling TJ that they do NOT say "penis" on SpongeBob! He insists they do!

So, today we had it on SpongeBob and sure enough, the scene comes up and I have to give TJ some credit because it DOES sound like "penis" and Patrick even replies with "Really!?" (or something to that effect) and covers his crotchal-area. SpongeBob is indeed saying to Patrick that his "genius is showing" and I even had to rewind the TiVo several times to catch it. But I still have to insist to TJ that penis does not equal genius!!!

On another note, after a long day of being covered it spit-up (I had it on my shirt, my pants, the floor, the sofa...), Tim came home and after dinner I was all set to sleep for a while. Right now, since the girls are still pretty restless at night and spitting up when laying down, I pretty much stay up all night with them. It sucks and I hope that once they get a little better, it will help (along with continued reflux meds).

So, it was about 630pm when I laid down, Tim agreeing to wake me up at 1130pm if I wasn't already up. Ahhh, surely I could squeeze at least 4 hours out of that, right? NOT A CHANCE! First, I woke up at 8pm thinking I had overslept. Looked at the clock, and went back to sleep. Then at 930pm I was wide awake. This sucks. I got a couple of hours last night, maybe 90 minutes (at best) on the sofa before TJ/Tim got up, and that's it since yesterday. Yet I still can't sleep. I even downed a beer to help me relax a little, in hopes of being able to sleep for a while. Nope. It just plain sucks. Given the opportunity to sleep, I can't.

Thankfully Tim said he would get up at 330am (or sometime after) to let me get some rest before he goes to work. I prefer he sleep as much as possible (he was probably well asleep before 1130pm) because he is a real bear to deal with and I need him rested so when he gets home from work, I can nap without guilt (my own guilt issues, not imposed by Tim).

I don't know... here I am at almost 1am blogging rather than sleeping. But I know Lauren is due for a bottle anytime now and I am just waiting on her call. I am actually going to let her go as long as possible in hopes of getting her to sleep more at night. The other night she went a full five hours and it was marvelous! If could get Katie and Lauren to do that at the same time, I would be in HEAVEN!

I am actually starting to feel pretty tired right now, but the chance of sleep within the next couple of hours is nil. First I will have to feed Lauren, then if she stays sleepy, I can put her down long enough to doze out and then have Katie wake me up for a feeding. Of course, I was feeding them back to back, but since I am not sleeping anyway, I thought I would go ahead and just let them feed on demand rather than a schedule for right now --- just to see how long they will go between bottles. Of course, with their adjusted age, they are more like 2 week old infants, not like 6 weekers. Believe me, that plays a pretty big role in dealing with preemie infants. I didn't really think of them as Preemies until I realized that at this point in TJ's life (6 weeks), he was smiling and I was getting more feedback from him. Not the girls, though... I still have some time before I will see that on a regular basis.

I think I hear Lauren calling... that would be 3.5 hours this time. Hey, at least it isn't every two hours like it was a few days back! Man, that was hell!

Off I go... and "miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep"

Finally - some new pictures

I've uploaded some pictures - finally!

Here's a few of TJ, Katie, Lauren and the Dogs:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/20080720kids/

Here are pics taken on his actual birthday, 7/15. We went to Chuck E Cheese for dinner that night.
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/200807205thbdayactual/

Here are the pictures taken at the party we had for our friends to come and celebrate TJ's bday and to see the girls - on 7/11 (my actual due date for my twin pregnancy!)
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/JediMommy/20080720friday5thbday/

Infant Reflux SUCKS!

I am no stranger to infant reflux. TJ had it and it was one of the main causes of his plagiocephaly and torticollis... he spent SO much time in his bouncy seat because he couldn't lay down flat or his food would come right back up. Now take that frustration and double it. No - quadruple it because not only do the girls have reflux, but the pain they are in causes them to be extremely light and fussy sleepers. Hence the reason why I never sleep at night. In fact, for the most part, the ONLY sleep I get is when Tim is home and letting me sleep.

I slept for a few hours last evening and Tim got me up around 1am. I let him sleep until almost 8am and then I went back to bed and slept until about 1pm. This is why I love the weekends! I actually get to SLEEP! Most week nights Tim comes home and I try to get some sleep from about 7pm until 10pm, sometimes Midnight. Then I am up again until the following evening. It's a lot like being on third shift, I guess. Tonight sucks, though. Tim is doing an activity at work and probably won't be home until midnight. So, when he gets home, he can go to bed and get rest and then HOPEFULLY I can make it until about 6 or 7am and then he will get up and let me sleep again.

Like I said, infant reflux SUCKS. They spend time in their bouncy seats, keeping them more up-right so they won't spit-up. I try to lay them to sleep in their Boppy pillows, and that worked for a week or so, but now Katie complains when she's in that, too. The only time Katie sleeps well is sleeping on her belly on my chest. I WISH I could put them in their cribs, each on their belly - but because of SIDS, I don't do it. We've got Raney's two Angel Care Monitors, and that would work, but I am still too nervous to depend solely on them when sleeping on their belly.

Well, off I go --- I knew I wouldn't get more than 10 minutes on the computer without a fussing baby. Off to clean up more spit-up.

I've got CUTE pics to share soon, too --- will be sure to post them ASAP.

TJ's Birthday & One Month Check Up

The girls had their one month check up yesterday - actually at 5+ weeks old. Lauren is still bigger (barely) at 8 lbs. 7 oz, 21 1/2" long and Katherine is 8 lbs. 6 oz and 21" long. I would guess that by their 2nd month appointment, Katie will be bigger than her sister!

I desperately need to post new pictures because as you can image, they look very different as each week passes. Especially Katie - she looks so much more full (chubby) and it really has changed her look.

In the early hours of July 15, TJ's Birthday - Lauren started to coo a little. Later that same day, Katie smiled right at me. LOVE IT! Can wait to get more of both!

TJ's birthday parties were great. On Friday the 11th, he has his "big" friends over (our friends) and it was great fun. He was totally excited by his Nintendo DS and everyone got him a game to go with. He is SET for FUN! Then on his birthday, we went to Chuck E Cheese (just family) and had pizza and played games. We had a LOT of tickets and TJ opted to save them for next time. I had actually saved 200+ tickets from YEARS ago (from before TJ was born) from when Becky won and failed to redeem them. So, we made out with a bunch of tickets, but as you know, you really can't get anything without having thousands! I think we have about 500, so next time perhaps we can get something (crappy) for TJ to enjoy (for all of two minutes before it breaks).

I will be sure to post pics from his birthday and pics of the girls as soon as I can. I haven't had any time to do much of anything other than feed a baby, change a baby, make bottles, do laundry and TRY to sleep when I can (which is a rare event and usually only happens between the hours of 6pm to midnight when Tim is home).

Sleep. Oh how I love sleep. I miss it. I need it. I want it!

It is ONLY 8 am?

Amazing how time creeps by when you are exhausted. Here's a quick peek into the horrible sleep schedule I've had over the past couple of days...

Wednesday - pretty much no sleep all night Tuesday night. Tim came home and I went to bed at about 6:30pm and he let me sleep until about Midnight. YAHOO! So that means I got about 5-6 hours of sleep. Previous nights I was laying down at about the same time, but getting up at 9pm. Then I finally got the girls settled down in their beds but I couldn't fall asleep to save my life. Perhaps I was too tired. So, Thursday I was up from Midnight until about 7:30pm when I went to lay down. Again, Tim let me sleep until Midnight, but once again, I had a horrible time trying to fall asleep. I keep getting these pains in my legs and nerve endings on my feet, arms, lets, back... feels like a needle pricking me. I know it is from exhaustion. My body is just plain tired. So I got up last night and the girls were restless all night long. I didn't even bother taking them upstairs and trying to put them down because it would have been pointless. It would have been pure frustration for me. So, I am all all day...

This evening we are having friends over for TJ's birthday / our Friday night group dinner. Plus today (actually, yesterday) marks the one month date of the girls' birth, so we can actually have the girls out and about AND have friends over. Today, July 11 is my official due date for the twin pregnancy. It's hard to believe it has been that long since I found out I was pregnant. Heck, I can't believe the girls are a month old now! TIME FLIES

Back to the point... we have company tonight and that means no sleep for me. So basically, I will be up most of the evening and the night tonight. Tim and I pretty much tag-team the girls at this point and I will let him go to bed at regular time, try to let him get at least 6 hours of sleep, and then I will wake him up to let me go to bed... unless the girls actually sleep in their beds tonight AND I am actually able to relax enough to fall asleep, too.

Being this exhausted sucks. But even now I have to say that it is easier the second time around than with your first child. I just couldn't handle it with TJ - but because I've BTDT, it makes it a tad bit more bearable.

So, bring on the leaded fuel... I've got a LONG 24 hours coming!