Next Year

Due to twins and work filling my days, I've decided to give up blogging until next year. Bahahaha...I'm so original.

Ha, seriously, Happy New Year! David got our New Year's Day lunch ingredients yesterday...ah, my favorite meal of the year. I've never missed it...not once. Even last year when we were all in the hospital. The hospital cafe had greens, rice, cornbread, and black eyed peas. And dearest Sara brought me some hog jowls. I can't wait for the girls to get to try it this year. They technically had it last year, too, because I was breastfeeding, but there's nothing quite like sinking your own teeth into a crisp, juicy, salty hunk of fried lard. Mmmmmmm mmmmmmm...

We don't plan on staying up late tonight at all and I really, really, really hope our neighbors don't either. The girls slept through Fourth of July, so maybe we'll be okay. "Actually, it's supposed to be a little rainy, so maybe that'll deter them," said Grandma Ruth.

Anyways. I hope you all have a wonderful (and safe) New Year's! Don't shoot fireworks toward our house, thanks. 2011...that looks weird. Remember when it used to be 1987? Not you, Noah...you wouldn't remember. You were just a baby dandelion in Stork Cloud Land. Sara would remember, because she was like 107 years old. Peter wouldn't remember either...he would be born two years later...eating goat cheese like nobody's business and saying things like "Ciao!"

Okay, I'm going to go feed the girls breakfast and watch one of the Real Housewives shows. It makes me feel better about myself and my life decisions and the fact that I have my real face.

One last time...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

A Year In Numbers

1 - Singular sensation...wait, that's something else...trying again...

1 - Trip to Charleston, SC and Bermuda

2 - Perfect little people

7 - How many weeks along I was when we found out it was twins

10 - How many weeks along I was when the morning sickness came a-knocking

37 - Times I threw up. Yes, I counted. It gets pretty boring with your head in a toilet...not much else to do.

26 - How many weeks along I was when I measured 40 weeks

36 - How many weeks along I was when I measured 51 weeks

59 - Pounds gained...mostly in my nose.

27 - Bottles of Bio-Oil I used

4 - The number of hours I was in natural labor before they would give me anything. Four measly little hours and it was MISERABLE. You gals who have done it au natural...I applaud you. You are not from this world.

4:16 - A.M. The time Piper Lee was born

4:17 - A.M. The time Harper was born

6 - Pounds Piper Lee weighed

7 - Pounds Harper weighed

120/70 - Ruth's normal blood pressure and BP during pregnancy

198/110 - Ruth's average BP after the girls were born. I kept wondering why the nurses always looked a little worried. I felt fine. But then I noticed the BP monitor one day. Oops. That's why my feet were GINORMICUS.

1, 983, 440* - Lost hours of sleep

42 - Total nights away from David

15 - Total nights away from the girls

4, 208, 822* - Diapers changed

4, 208, 823* - Bottles given

27 - Articles of clothing thrown away because of poop-splosions

6 - Times a day I think to myself, "I wonder what it's like with just one."

95* - Times a day I think to myself, "Thank goodness it's just two...I can't imagine three."

3 - Times I would cry each day for the first few months

2 - Times I would cry each day for the middle few months

1-2 - Times I would cry each day for the last few months

89* - Times a day I would have a meltdown and pray, "God, please give me the strength to get through this day."

289* - Times a day I laugh at the goings-on of the twins

Infinity - Times a day I thank God for these two amazing people

*A general estimation.

This is me and girls at 35 weeks and 6 days. It's completely absurd.

Pipsqueak

Big Mo

And one year later...

This has been the most exhausting, stressful, overwhelming, hilarious, exciting, rewarding, and fabulous year of my life. These babies have brought us so much joy. They've drawn David and I closer together as husband and wife and as partners in raising these children. I thank God every day for picking us to be their parents and I pray that we're worthy of that honor. They're the coolest kids ever and I hope I'm not a spaz mom when they get older.

Thank you all for joining us this year and praying with us over these munchkins! It's been fun sharing with you!

Year One...we made it...wow. And I know we're just getting started.

Happy Birthday, Piper Lee and Harper Missouri! We love you more than you'll ever know, you sweet little goons, you.

(Here are some more pictures of the past year...if you're super bored at work or something.)

1 Month, 1 Month , 1 Month

2 Months, 2 Months, 2 Months

3 Months, 3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

A Day of Mini-Posts

I'm sooooo far behind on my blog reading. Like, a month behind. I missed Shannon's awesome possum giveaway. Shannon, you should have another one...but just where I win. I like this idea. It's a good idea. Tomorrow and Friday, I get to be a stay-at-home mom. Well, I already am, duh, but I'm off work, too! So, I will be catching up on all of my reading. Yay!

There's nothing sweeter than when your kid walks up to you and you say, "Give Momma a kiss," and she leans in and licks your cheek. Melt.

Christmas is my favorite and was even more amazing this year. Seeing the girls on Christmas morning, their eyes wide with wonder, experiencing the magic that is December 25...yeah, I'm totally making that up. They had no idea what was going on. But, I do look forward to when they do know what's up.

It snowed at our house on Christmas Day. It would have been my first white Christmas ever. But, we missed it and that's okay. I was hoping there'd be a little be left when we got home, but it was gone. We did have 5 icicles (yes, I counted) and a puddle of ice that David and I repeatedly stepped on as we were unloading the car.

Harper is being SO DRAMATIC today. I have no idea where she gets that from.

I'm a little bit addicted to Moleskine notebooks. I don't even really write in them. I WANT to, but I don't know what I'd write. But carrying one around makes me feel all artsy and like I live in London and, OR! like I'm Indiana Jones-ish. It's the little elastic strap and the floppy covers. They're quite whimsical. I do have a calendar Moleskine, though. And I do use that one.

Just had to take a quick break because 53 pounds of baby wanted to spin around in my desk chair. Whew.

A year ago today is when I was EXTREMELY PREGNANT and that night is when David challenged me to a typing test to see who was the fastest. I laughed and shook my head in pity, for I knew he would lose horribly. And he did. He challenged me to two more tests...only adding to his embarrassment. (Mavis Beacon herself taught me how to type. And the stupid egg timer that was set for 30 minutes every day. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. WHEN WILL IT END?!?!? Ding! Yes! "Moooom, done with typing. I'm going outside to do something productive!") After the third typing challenge, I laughed and delighted in my victory(ies) and then felt kind of weird, so I headed to the bathroom. And then my water broke. And then we went to the hospital. And then I went without a drink of water for A MILLENIUM!!!! Stupid typing test.

So, you know Sara and Bryan are getting married...but here's the best part...they're letting me plan the honeymoon!!!! I mean, yay they're getting married, blah blah, but I get to plan the honeymoon!! I love spending other people's money and sending them off to somewhere fabulous. Right now, we've got it narrowed down to Cabo San Lucas and Bora Bora. I'm putting together a comparison chart for them. I think I may throw a Fiji and Australia chart in there, too, just for funsies. This is so exciting for me! It's like this wedding is about me! Me me me!! (I'm just kidding.....maybe.)

We started introducing whole milk into the girls' bottles or sippy cups and so far, they've been pretty cool with it. We're on our last cannister of formula...something I am very happy about. Mixing powder and water for nine months was lame. And I'm very happy about having the whole milk because now I can steal some of it and pour it over strawberries or peaches or bananas or blueberries...Mmmmm. Growing up on skim milk means that whole milk is like the sweet cream of heaven in a plastic jug.

Speaking of, I'm gonna go eat breakfast.

CHRISTMAS!!! (for real)

Today is Tuesday, right? My days are so messed up. At least I know it's still December.

Well, Sunday after the beach, we dropped off the girls at GranJan and Papa's house. They and Laura Grace offered to keep the twins for the week for us so we could have a week at home by ourselves. I am soooooooooooo grateful to them for that. Thank you thank you thank you! It was fabulous. Oh my gosh, I missed the girls so much, but it was definitely nice to be at home by ourselves for a few days. I didn't realize how much we still had to get done before Christmas. It was eerily quiet during the day when I was here working. I could hear little phantom babies every now and then...which was creepy.

Tuesday night, David and I had our own Christmas, just the two of us. It was so much fun. I love Christmas with Hugs.

Wednesday night, we went on a date with Zack and Malinda to go see Tron. TRON WAS AWESOME!! We grew up watching the first one once a week maybe. I was surprised by how many people were like, "Oh, this is a sequel to one made in the 80's." I'm like, "Duh...it's Tron!!" But, I guess not everybody has a sci-fi nerd dad like us. (Love you, Daddy...and I'm very glad you're a sci-fi nerd.)

Thursday night, we headed home in peace and quiet. It's amazing how differently I view road trips now. We plan car rides around naps and meal times. When they take a nap in the car, we don't make a peep. We don't even move our eyeballs for fear of waking them up. So, driving in the car just me and David is kind of nice sometimes. Mom and Noah had already picked the girls up that afternoon, so by the time we got to my parents' house that night, they were sound asleep.

We had Christmas with my family on Friday night, Christmas with David's family on Saturday morning, and Christmas with Mamaw and Papaw A on Saturday afternoon. Harper had reached her activity quota Saturday night on the way home from the grandparents' house and confidently proclaimed this by being super chill in the car seat one moment and unleashing a banshee roar of defiance the next...and then she threw up everywhere. So, we tried to limit their activities the rest of our time home.

We came home yesterday afternoon...I've never seen two happier kiddos before. It's so funny to me how they realize they're home. Santa left them a bunch of toys in the playroom for them to discover and they went berserk. David and I unpacked everything and took down all of the Christmas stuff, cleaned the house, and spent the rest of the evening playing with the girls and all their new toys. They were running around hysterically, chasing each other, laughing, and then they passed out asleep. And then David and I passed out asleep. Such a good time.

OH, I almost forgot!! Piper Lee took her first steps on Christmas Day! I'm so proud of her. We were at GranJan and Papa's house, all sitting on the floor playing with the girls, Piper Lee was sitting halfway in the kitchen minding her own business. We were watching Harper be ridiculous as usual, look over and see PL standing up walking towards us. I think life is just about to get a little more interesting.

Here are some pictures from Christmastime. (These first few I borrowed from Dad's Facebook.)

Mom and Dad got them this little play area/pen thing...they're not too fond of being shut up in it, but they love opening and closing the door themselves.

Presents for me?!

Mom and Dad got Virginia Kate a coonskin hat. All of the grandkids have coonskin hats and since VK will be one soon, she needed to be inducted. She was terrified of the hat. Who wouldn't be?

We cut all of Noah's hair off.

Mom wanted to see if Harper would choose her over me. Guess who she chose? ME.

The containment area.

Mamaw and Papaw A and the Pantless Childrens.

At GranJan and Papa's.

Mom and Dad have some swings hung in a tree near the house and usually, the girls LOVE them. They absolutely adore swinging. Piper Lee is normally a little hesitant at first, but ends up squealing in delight. This time, she started off with a big smile.

Harper...not so much this time.

But, she finally warmed up to it again and remembered she liked it.

And then Miss I Don't Want To Swing pitched a fit when Daddy took her out.

In other, non-Christmas related, news...I haven't shaved my legs since the cruise (in October). Yep. Show of hands as to how many of you let out an audible "ewwww"? Hey, don't hate. It's very liberating. Although, now it's getting on my nerves, so it's time. One of the few reasons I'm okay with winter. PANTS!