Favorite-Photo Friday

Here's another one that I'll be working with for awhile, but I just love Daddy's Little Girl.

I've seen my future...

...some of it is sweet, and to be honest, some of it is downright ugly.  First, the ugly:

People will not stop giving my husband free or cheap (like, under $1k) cars.  Being the bargain hunter that he is, he cannot say no.  And, let's be honest here:  The man has a problem.

In fact, that's how we ended up with this one that sits unattended in our garage:

And this one (free), which allowed us to give Roar a car long before I would've otherwise thought about doing so:

And then there is this one (under $1k) that he intends to sell at some point, but now just takes up space in our driveway:

Then the true ugly arrived this weekend (free -- thank God).   The Husband insists he can sell it either whole or in parts.  But the problem is that with all those cars and the two that we actually drive, we had no place to put it,  so now it sits in our backyard.  Isn't that...something?

So it looks like we're becoming Those People.  I don't want to be Those People.  Universe, please stop sending cars to my husband.  But if you really want to, please send him a cute little BMW Z3.  Or at least something that wouldn't even think about having flames.

But not all of my future looks so...unsightly.  In fact, there is some sweetness to it.  This morning, I caught a glimpse of my children, playing contentedly together. 

Actually, they were just playing in the same vicinity.  With no crying.  Despite the fact that they were playing with choking hazards.

You know it's been a challenge for us to have this many children so close together.  But I think that they're going to end up being very good friends.  How's that for a beautiful future?

Now, if only we didn't have cars parked in our yard...

Wow, eight months already!

It's Favorite-Photo Friday

I love this picture of my little boy and his buddy.  It's not perfect...yet (I can see me tinkering with this for a long time), but I adore it.  I hope it gives you the warm-fuzzies too.

Happy Favorite-Photo Friday!

The twins are being twinny

I've told you on multiple occasions how completely different Samantha and Conor are.  Which is why I find it fascinating that these two reached two milestones at the same time in the last week.

First, they're both getting their first little teeth!  In the same spot, no less (the left-central incisor to be exact -- I know you were curious).  It's been bothering Conor a little more than Samantha, but neither of them are in great distress.  Or drooling like fiends.  Which is something to be thankful for.

Second, this last week they both learned how to go from lying down to sitting up on their own.  It is so cute to watch them lay on their bellies and then scoot slightly backward to fold their legs under them so that they can sit.  It's still new enough of a trick that if they're not occupied with something else at the time, they'll grin at me and look all proud at their accomplishments.  And often when I'm watching "The Conor, Samantha, and Zachary Show" at 5 a.m. (Eastern Time), I'll find Conor just sitting in his crib, looking around, until he gets tired of no one paying attention to him and he goes back to sleep.

So, if you didn't know it already, my kids are cute, sweet, and wonderful.  I hope it's not just the eight cups of coffee talking, but it seems like everyday, things are getting better.  And with the benefit of hindsight, I'm now feeling a little guilty about portraying newborn/infant twin parenting as completely awful, because really, it's only somewhat awful.  And sometimes it's really okay.  So I've made this chart in hopes that it will give a more accurate representation of how things have been for me.  As you'll see, we're over the hump of despair.  I hope this gives hope to some of you who have come here looking for some insight of how your life will be once your twins are born (yeah, I see you seein' me).  I really think it's gonna be okay.

We interrupt this gush fest to talk about two things that suck

First, my mama left on Sunday.  I can't tell you how much that sucks.  I'm sure she was all "get-me-the-hell-outta-here" by then, because the woman works like a dog around my house.  Honestly, that's not my doing, and I've tried to get her to relax and just hang out with the kids, but it's not in her nature.  No, no, she must take care of all of my children, clean, cook, and clean some more.  And when she's watching three kids and I'm just downstairs working, will she understandably call me to help occasionally?  Nope.  Not even once.  She had it all under control.

Yes, that is her feeding three children at the same time.

But even if she didn't do all of those things, just having her around to be a grandma is a pretty awesome thing, you know? 

(This video is threatening not to work.  If it doesn't, imagine lots of giggles.)

So it sucks that she left.  But Zachary keeps calling her and Parta and asking them to come back to his house.   In the face of that sweet plea, I'm thinking they're not going to be able to stay away for long.  Ha!


Next, I was all gushy about Tanika yesterday, but I forgot to mention the one thing that sucked about her.  When she was here, she kept saying, "I love your hair," "I wish I had your hair," and the like.  And each time, I'd turn around to say, "Thank you," but she'd be talking to Zachary.  Now, not to take anything away from my son, but, c'mon.  Her failure to appreciate the glory of my hair?  Well, let's just call that a character flaw.  (Yeah, I realize that she attempted to rectify this with her post about me, but it's too little, too late, sister!)

A friend-filled weekend

So, you already read my quick summary of what happened on Friday night.  Around the time I posted that, I was also excitedly searching Craigslist for a pool table, because as I told the Husband, I just looooooooove pool!  (about 4 too many beers, me thinks)

But the fun continued Saturday, because Tanika and her family came to visit!!  This was such a treat.  I've known Tanika for over three years, but I've only seen her once, at her baby shower before she had her twin boys.  We began communicating on an online forum for women who were trying to get pregnant; as a result, long before I knew her real name, I knew intimate details about her lady bits.  That makes for one unique relationship.

She has since become one of my dearest friends.  And that's why I was so excited to take baby Clair's one-year photos.  Not only did I get to do something I love, I got to see someone I love.  :)  Hanging out with her and her family was easy, just like I expected it would be.  At one point we had six kids ages two and under in my living room, and no one was melting down.  But the most endearing thing?  Tanika went into my refrigerator to get her child a cheese stick, like she'd been there a million times.  Love.

I have a TON of pictures, but I don't want spoil anything for Tanika, so I'll just give you some behind-the-scenes moments.

First, a gratuitous test shot of my little ones who were being so good, just marveling at (and maybe taking some bites out of) all of the new things that were in my room while my friend Jennifer and I were setting up:

Thank you, Anandi, for attempting to talk me through the making of that banner!

When he first saw me, Cary was so excited and was trying to tell me something...  all I really caught was him saying, "CookieHood."  Swoon!

Dean didn't really know what to think.  He just looked up at me with those huge brown eyes.  But by the end of the night, he knew all he needed to do was bat those eyes at me, and I was putty.  (Sorry about that extra juice box, Tanika and Lester)

(Zachary saw this picture on my computer last night, and I asked him who he saw. He said, "That's Bean!" I didn't correct him.)

Then there was the girl of the hour.  She instantly recognized me for the kind, beautiful, funny, and brilliant person that I am (she's got such good instincts, that one), and she had no problem with me just scooping her up.  That didn't mean she was going to smile in photos for me, because hey, you can't make her do what she doesn't wanna do.
Here she is getting in costume for the shoot.  (And there's Lester being the sweet, hands-on dad that he is.)

And here's Tanika making a mess of my place...

...and stealing some snuggles.

Cary ended up sneaking away from Lester and the Husband, who were supposed to be on toddler duty.  I think he sensed cake.


After the shoot was over, we ate and drank and chatted and just had a good time.  And before we knew it, it was time for them to leave.

When the evening was over, I asked Zachary if he had fun meeting his new friends.  He said, "Yes!  I want to do it again!" 

I do too, buddy.

The beauty of tonight

Mom watched the babies so I could go on a date with the Husband.  We went out to dinner and then played pool.  Thankfully, in the end, I won 7 games to 6. Spending time with my best friend?  Beautiful.

I also spoke to my old high school and college buddy, Rachel, twice.  Hearing your voice two times in one night...I can't tell you how beautiful that was.  xoxo Rache.  I miss you.

Lucky (Part Deux)

A 3:30 a.m. conversation:

The Husband (groggily):  You're a goddess.  I'm lucky that you're my wife.
Me:

 










A 5:50 a.m. conversation:

Mom:  I'll take the babies.  You go back to sleep.
Me:

Random pictures from this weekend

I told you I was going to post more.  So some days, you'll get posts like this.  Randomness.

Conor in a hat.

Samantha in a frilly dress.

Zachary getting Conor ready for the Super Bowl.

Samantha playing with a mouse.

And although it's not the best picture, I don't want to forget how Samantha looks when she's crawled over to me and is hanging off of my pajama'd leg.

Lucky

My boss suggested to me the other day that I was lucky to have such doting parents.  It's true.  If I ever need anything from them -- a shoulder, a babysitter, a bank -- they've got my back. 

To be honest, these aren't the people I grew up with.  Time has made them softer, sweeter, more prone to hugs and giggles, and much more likely to allow dessert to be served four times per day.  But maybe that change wasn't the result of time; maybe it is the result of them no longer having to deal with a snide and sarcastic teenage daughter.

Whatever.

It was probably time.

At any rate, my kids are enamored with them, especially Zachary.  I know this because he has been asking me almost daily for the last couple of weeks if we can go to Parti and Parta's house.  He even asked our trusty daycare provider, Cindy, how to get to Iowa.  And he's told both me and the Husband that we need to get on a plane to go see them.  And sometimes, out of the blue, he'll just outright say it, like in this conversation we had on Friday morning:

Me:  Ha!  Zachary, look at your hair in the mirror!  It's craaaazy!
Zachary:  No it's not, it's pretty.  Like Parti.  Parti is pretty.  I love her.

All together now:  Awwwwwwww.  (I think it would also be fair and accurate to read into this conversation that Parti is perhaps a bit crazy.  :) )

But yes, I am lucky.  Cindy is going to be out of town this week, so of course mom flew out here to step in.  Zachary has been ecstatic that his best buddy is here.

I'm grateful that they have time to spend together, and that my mom has so much energy.  Within the first six hours of her being here, mom cleaned out my refrigerator and swept the floor about ten times.  And when we finally got some snow that looked like it might actually stick for the first time this season, she took Zachary out to experience it.

(Unfortunately, within a couple hours, the snow was melting.)

 

You know that saying?  The one that goes, "The only thing better than having you for parents is my kids having you for grandparents"?  It certainly applies here.  Mom and dad, I know I'm lucky, and I know I don't say "thank you" enough.  It just doesn't seem adequate.  But thank you.  For everything.  For always.